Gone Away
by SpikesFanGirl
Summary: Takes place at the End of season six. Buffy is living with the fact that Spike has left her. See what ensues in their life. Has possibilities for Fluff. Please Review, reviews will effect my decision on when to upload more chapters.
1. Life as we know it

A/N: This is all Joss, I don't own anything, I just play with the characters occationally. The story line is mine. Reviews ever so welcome!!   


Buffy laid staring at her bedroom ceiling, lost in thought. Wondering about why she was brought back to life, this life. A life filled with un-dead creatures, and peril. To slay again. Would she ever have a normal life? She thought of how her life has changed since her unexpected return to the living world. Her thoughts always returned to the same person; Spike. Her life had changed the most now because of him. She spat him, and his horrible dark deeds, out of her mind.  


Somehow everything that was going wrong her life, with her friend's lives, was all Spike's fault. Anya and Xander had broken up, when he had left her at the alter, Tara was dead, Giles had left town, again, Willow had gone wicca crazy and now was bound for magical rehab, and Buffy was sure that Dawn's new habits were directly the influence of Spike and his stories of gore.  


Buffy mulled over her own problems, she knew that Spike had played just as big a part in her emotional problems as anyone. A deep lifeless depression had claimed Buffy when she had been resurrected. Paralyzing her life, her emotions, and Spike seemed to be the only anecdote to her pain, to make her truly feel again. Buffy shuttered at the memories that coated her mind of the long nights in a cold crypt, with the one person in this world who could warm her. She continued to push all thoughts out of her mind. Spike had left her, he was gone, that was all that mattered to Buffy.  


She sighed heavily as she kicked her feet over the side of the bed. Time seemed to rush past Buffy without any warning. It was nearly time for her to start her shift at the Double Meat Palace. Lazily she pulled her uniform on, feeling immediately greasy for wearing it.   


"Another day. . . ." Buffy said to the Mirror. "Another cold lifeless day....."  
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The last thing Spike had wanted was a soul. He wanted to be a vampire again, with out the chip, without the love- To have the thrill of the hunt, to feel warm blood fill his mouth as he sucked a person dry, at least one more time; and for it be Buffy.   


Instead he had become more spineless, more like his sire. Spike detested the man, the vampire, whatever he had now become. Angel was a spineless frail emotional man, with no concept of bloodlust. Spike had to wonder what drew women to him. Both Dru and Buffy went to Angel like moths to the flame; always. Now that Spike had become more like him he still seemed to repel Buffy, not to mention Drusilla's rejection.  


Spike rolled onto his back, staring at the top of the cave. After being dead for over 130 years, life, after an odd fashion, had been restored to him; and he was unpleased. Life was not what he desired. Quickly his own voice echoed in his mind._I know you feel like I do, you don't have to hide it anymore. I'll make you feel it..._ Tears welled in Spikes eyes creating pools of blue, magnified by the pain of what he did. Guilt rushed over him, pent up for one hundred and thirty years; guilt of murder, violence, death, deceit. Now he was atoning for his compassion less actions. The faces of millions of people flashed through his mind. Not only of those who he had fed on, but their families weeping over their graves. The vivid images of people who had found their loved ones dead- never being the same again- the horror that they had lived with every day until they died, now took over Spike's mind.   


Out of all of them Buffy's words echoed loudest out of all the screams, her face shone out among all the others._ Ask me again why I could never love you...._ Spike felt his heart sink, searing hot pain rushed through his body.  


Was there ever a chance Buffy could have loved Spike? Did she ever admit it to herself? Was there any chance of fully regaining even part of her? Spike cringed at the thought of never seeing Buffy again. His stomach wrenched as he knew he was the only one to blame for Buffy's spite. The betrayal, the fact that he was the only one there to warm her from a cold grave, and he had failed her miserably. Another stab of guilt and pain gutted his body. He failed the one person he never wanted to fail, the one person he truly loved. He wanted to die all over again. To even cease to be. He wanted to deny the pain, guilt, deny even the love he had for her. Deep inside his heart had resumed beating, as if it had stopped for only a moment. He hated the sound it made in his ears. As the beating grew louder Spike felt himself loose control of the images of his past iniquities. All the while Buffy's denial of love echoed behind every image.  


Spike rolled on the floor for hours, wondering why now he had a soul, had a life. Why he had been given this beating heart when he wanted a cold one. To forget it all in a frenzy of death and blood. All he could do was lie and wonder what to do with this life that had been given to him. The only reason he would ever want a soul- ever want to live again- was for Buffy. It was too late to salvage their relationship. Spike pondered momentarily the death of the relationship, knowing that there was almost no way to revive it.  


"But she doesn't know William." Spike said aloud, a smirk spreading across his face.  
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Buffy ran her fingers down the brick wall outside of the Double Meat Palace. The memories of Spike flooded Buffy's mind, sending icy chills through her body. She shuddered and recoiled from the wall quickly, leaving to go inside.  


"Another day another dollar...." Buffy mumbled numbly to a co-worker, who nodded in agreement. Flipping burgers wasn't what she had planned for her life, especially since she had no one to go home too. She suspected that her life wouldn't be so bad if someone who understood her was at home when she got off work. Then again for all it was worth, Buffy really hadn't planned on killing vampires and demons her whole life either, but she had been doing that for a while. All Buffy wanted was to live a normal life. Buffy stood with an empty, but brilliant, smile on her face as she greeted a customer.   


"Welcome to the Double Meat Palace; may I interest you in a Double Meat Burger?" Buffy slapped on her sappiest smile and happiest voice, something she had adjusted to doing every time she was around people, whether she knew them or not.   


Without Totally realizing it Buffy had finished her shift, with out taking a break. Mindlessly scrubbing the grease trap, her co-workers asked her about her well being. She waved it off saying she was tired and had a very long day. They nodded in understanding, walking away curious to her real thoughts.   


After clocking out, Buffy changed into clothes more suitable for slaying. She wandered through the cemetery silently calling the vampires out to battle. Buffy allowed many thoughts to pass through her mind that she normally forbid. She sat on the top of a garish tombstone allowing the summer scents to pass through the cold night air. Life was easier for Buffy now, after all that had happened. She wasn't as dead as she had once been. Although she cared deeply for Dawn, Willow, Xander, Anya, and Giles. Still, Buffy did not feel that her life was full by any means.   


Buffy heard a stirring from behind her. Stealthily Buffy slipped off the tombstone and glimpsed to see who else might be walking through the cemetery at night. A shadowed facade walked towards a cell that had held Buffy captive for too long, the place where she had died; the shadow was going to Spike's crypt.  


Buffy ran towards the shadow, trying not to call attention to herself, she wove between the crosses and angels that dotted the city of the dead. Anger fueled her every action, her mind buzzed over the things she could say like dead meat. She wondered if she could restrain herself from killing him, or if she could restrain herself from falling in love with him once more. Unsure of her feelings towards the undead monster, Buffy leaned on the door to wait for his voice. She knew he would begin to curse at the mess she had made when he left.   


"Aw Spike! Geeze he never mentioned how much of a slob he was." Buffy curiously opened the door to see Clem picking up the mess she had made earlier.  


"Hey Clem." Buffy Smiled. Clem paused in his cleaning.  


"Oh Hey Buffy. Sorry the place is a mess, Spike doesn't keep things very clean does he?" Clem began to pick up a shattered Lamp.  


"Sorry- It's my mess." Buffy said sheepishly. She began to sweep up the glass up.  


'What? I didn't know- Umm..." Clem looked around nervously at the mess. Buffy smiled at his nervousness.  


"I trashed it after...." Buffy stopped and her smile faded. 

"After what?" 

"He Left." Buffy continued to upright various items in the room, as well as tidy various pieces of shattered alcohol bottles she had shattered after emptying. Buffy slid down to the lower level. Anguish flooded Buffy's heart as she found Spike's room as she had left it last. The sheets had been stripped from the bed, the mirror was cracked, and the drawers were all pulled out of the dresser their contents spewed onto the floor. It was then she had learned that Spike had left. She had searched the catacomb for him, every place he might have been, and some places he wouldn't have. He had really left her, like everyone else. Buffy slammed the mirror to the floor. 

"What was that?" Clem shouted down to her. 

"Something fell." Buffy said with an air of callousness. 

"Oh, Well I'm not going down there, don't worry." Clem shook his head. Buffy climbed up the ladder. 

"Good. Don't." Buffy Smiled an empty smile. "I'll see ya around, Clem." Buffy decided to go home, and forget all about Spike, and his sudden departure.  
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	2. Changes

A/N: FF.Net has said that there are two chapters up, this is the second one. I'm sorry you couldn't get to it, it was a mistake, and I was hoping that it would work out itself. I thank you to those who reviewed my first chapter. It had been beta read, but this one hasn't. I hope it doesn't show. Once again, this is Joss' fun stuff, I just play with it.  
  
"Cut it off" Spike looked to the barber who obviously didn't understand. "Look you bloody git cut my hair off!" The barber mumbled something in another language that Spike didn't catch. He watched in the mirror as his blonde locks fell to the floor, revealing brown tresses. This was part of the plan. Spike smiled at the man in the mirror. "Hello William, I missed you."  
Spike left money for the adept barber on the counter. Spike took a deep breath, allowing the air to move through his lungs. Luckily he had already had quit smoking, and now there was one more old habit on his mental check list; his attitude.  
Spike Moved under a lamp post and watched the various night bugs become drawn to the light. Spike cursed under his breath for not realizing it sooner. He was drawn to the light. Despite all his hate and evil doings, Spike, like all things of the night, was drawn to the light. Spike punched the wall, cursing all the while. He ran to his hotel room; for the first time in over one-hundred-and thirty years, William's muse was with him.  
  
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Days passed and Buffy seemed to barely notice. Few Vampires had been slayed, and a normal day to day life had become- - normal. Days in the Magic Box, helping Willow recover, and all the other little things that Buffy never noticed her mom doing.   
The days seemed endless to Buffy. All she could think about was him; Spike. She walked around in a trance. Dawn became worried.  
"Buffy?" Dawn glanced up from her Algebra. Buffy turned while drying a plate.  
"Yeah Dawnie?"  
"Where do you think Spike went? I mean he didn't leave a note or anything, maybe he got dusted?" Buffy dropped the plate and slid to the floor crying. "Buffy omigosh are you okay?" Dawn tried to comfort her sister. "You'll be okay Buffy, what's wrong!!?" Dawn tried to remain calm, and speak in a soothing voice.   
"What if he's dead Dawn? What if he just hopped into the sunlight and died? Maybe he just hopped into his DeSoto and left me. . . . ." Buffy continued to cry with hysterical sobs. The stress had been building up inside of Buffy. She had always been the leader, the strong one. Trying to help Willow, trying to be a sister and a mother to Dawn, going to work, help Anya and Xander, killing the baddies; she had enough.   
Buffy let out more hysterical sobs and stood up. Without saying a word she left the room and began ascending the stairs. Dawn watched her sister leave with some curiosity. Not totally sure of what to do, Dawn walked to the phone and dialed.  
"Pick up, please pick up..." Dawn repeated into the phone as she nervously played with the cord.  
"Hello, Rupert Giles......"  
  
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Spike reclined in his seat, relaxing as his fellow passengers chatted. A perfect time to work on his accent. A woman of thirty-five sat next to him. She appeared to be American, the perfect person to practice his hidden identity on. She was unsuspecting, unaware, and ready to be fooled. Spike extended a hand towards her.   
"Hello, my name is William." He shook her hand. To anyone who didn't know he would have simply looked like another passenger, heading home from a holiday in Europe. "Nice to meet you. . . . ?" The lady smiled politely.  
"Andrea, My friends call me Andie." Spike smiled as his trick seemed to be fooling her. "Your accent is interesting, where are you from?" Spike panicked.  
"The U.S., California actually. You?"  
"The same, Only Colorado. You headin' home?" She smiled politely ignoring the flight attendants as they spoke of seat belt safety.  
"You might say that. . . Just starting over I suppose." Spike had always thought himself a smooth talker, but when it came to matters dealing with Buffy he felt his brain turn to mush.  
"Good Luck, starting anew can be hard." Andrea smiled reaching for her bag and retrieving a book. "It's about a girl, right? Your problem I mean. I can tell she's very important to you." Spike looked dumbfounded as the girl began to read.  
"Oh well yeah, she never told me. . . . . I might think it to be a huge crush." Spike fought the desire to slap himself. Talking like this was not typical of him, it was more like William. Spike gasped as he came to the realization that he was not a big bad anymore, but had been reverted to the simpering poet he once was.  
"That bad? Must have been a messy break up." Andrea looked up from her book momentarily.  
"You might say that." Spike shuddered to think of life as William again. Andrea's eyes fluttered and returned to her book.  
"Well William she's a very lucky girl." Spike smiled as he inwardly screamed in pain.  
  
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	3. Loosing it

A/N: Hi! that was a long enough break wasn't it? I know I"m looking forward to alot of new updates for fics I happen to LOVE! I borrowed Spike's last name from Josephine Martin. Read her fics, they are soooooooooo great, I love them! Start with Rebirth. It's rated R, I can't think why right now, but I love them, and I'm sure you will too!  
  
OH and I'm fixing the spacing, I hope it works, I'll try and get the indentation fixed for this chapter, right away!  
  
Rupert Giles had not planned on returning to Sunnydale on another bad occasion, but Dawn had called at an unreasonable hour crying. Buffy was acting oddly. Dawn hadn't seen it in her since Buffy had died the summer before and had been resurrected. Giles stepped off of the plane, straightening his glasses and hefting his bags for the long walk through the LA airport.  
Moving to a payphone Giles rung up a taxi. After calling he moved to a pick up area, readying himself for the four hour drive, and the torn condition of his slayer.   
Arriving at the Summer's house, Giles used the key he had kept in emergencies, and for sentimental value. "Dawn? Buffy?" Giles opened the door. The house seemed to be in disarray. Books for classes were strewn on stairs, the laundry basket over flowed next to the laundry room, the fridge was bear, and all that seemed to be in the house was half empty cartons of ordered out Chinese food.   
"Dawn! Buffy?!" Giles moved to the stairs to examine the damage upstairs.  
"Giles?" A small weary voice called from the top of the stairs. Giles looked up to meet the face of a gaunt blonde, not at all the Buffy he had left behind. Her hair was matted with days of being unkept, her clothes seemed to hang off of her body as if to drape a skeleton.   
"Oh God" was all Giles could say. He Helped her down the stairs, feeling her forehead for a fever, checking her pupils, noticing the paleness of her skin. Buffy smiled wistfully.  
"Hello Giles." She blinked and stared at Giles for a moment, making him slightly uncomfortable. "You don't live here anymore....." Buffy turned from her staring match and went into the kitchen. Giles followed the girl who was once his slayer but was now more of a ghost than anything. A shadow of her former self. Buffy waved him into the kitchen. "Just because you don't live here doesn't mean you can't eat."  
Silently the pair sat together munching on some random breakfast cereal. The slayer and her watcher eating breakfast together. It had potential to be picturesque, but wasn't because the house was so dirty and Buffy looked like death warmed over. A door slammed intruding on the silent meal.   
"Buffy!" A familiar perky voice called. It didn't belong to Dawn, Giles noted, because Dawn had been seriously distraught on the phone. Anya, the former veteran demon, entered into the kitchen.   
"Giles! You're back, again!" Anya hugged him and smiled happily. She, despite her hatred of all men, had become quite attached. Anya held onto Giles tightly, almost as if not to loose him again. "I was supposed to come and meet you so you didn't see Buffy like this." Anya frowned and her sadness seeped through her words. "I'm so glad you're back! I just... can't believe it!" Anya began to jabber about the Magic Box, her return to triumph as a vengeance demon, and what had happened since Giles had returned to England. "I just can't believe Spike left so quickly, and just when we needed him too." A sudden shrill scream rose from Buffy's throat at the mention of Spike. Tears flowed freely down her face, giving Buffy the appearance of being in a water fight. Her face was soaked in moments.  
Giles attempted to calm Buffy, who had relocated herself underneath the kitchen table. After an hour of attempting to cajole Buffy from underneath the table, she had quieted and slipped into a somewhat sound sleep, with small sobs occasionally interrupting. Dawn entered through the back door just as Buffy had finally fallen asleep, she could hear Giles and Anya talking in the other room. Dawn stormed into the room, ending prematurely their conversation.  
"YOU said the 'S' word, didn't you?! Oh man she'll be out of it for at LEAST another hour, you've ruined our schedule, it'll take two days to get back on track, I can't believe...." Giles stopped Dawn in her rage.  
"S Word? What word might that be? I was not aware that our vocabulary was restricted Dawn. You may take comfort in the fact that I attempted to calm Buffy, but to no avail." Giles looked at Anya for back up, she nodded enthusiastically.  
Dawn was seething."I know Giles, SHE was supposed to tell you not to say...." Dawn leaned forward and motioned for Giles to lean in. "Spike" A tiny sob rose from the kitchen but Buffy appeared to sleep on."Anya knew to tell you."  
"I forgot okay? I was talking about life with Giles, is that so bad?" Anya polished her nails  
"Oh, really. And did you mention that you banged Spike on the research table at the Magic Box?" Dawn said cattily. "Right, I didn't think so." Dawn sat down in a chair across from the couch in the living room. Anya politely excused herself, making the excuse of the Magic Box. Dawn began to explain to Giles the new responsibilities that she wasn't used to carrying, all of what had happened before and since Buffy had lost her mind. Giles waited for the story to end, listening intently, just like he always had done.  
"Well...." Giles began to clean his glasses as if on cue. "What she needs is comfort, a routine."  
"But what happened to her? Will she ever be the same? Why can't she stop?" Dawn reached hysterics as tears flooded her eyes.  
"She's suffered, from what I can tell, some sort of break down. Too much pressure, responsibility." Giles paused to allow Dawn to calm down. "We need to relieve that stress Dawn." Dawn nodded the tears that had formed in her eyes fell despite her best efforts.  
"It's like she's not all there Giles. She'll be okay and then not: Usually after some one mentions. . . . ." Dawn leaned in so only Giles could hear what she was saying. "Spike. Then she goes all nut city on us." Giles played with his glasses. Plenty of slayers before had gone insane because of Vampires, but not because one had left town.  
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Spike stretched as he entered the airport. Being human had perks, that Spike hadn't realized he had missed. Sunlight for example. Being without sunlight for over 100 years takes a toll on a person, or demon for that matter. Spike wanted so much to work on his tan, it was essential to his plan, to be with Buffy again- but as a human not as a Vampire. His past, Spike shuddered as he made his way through the airport. His trespasses as a demon had not left his human mind.  
"Every time I close my eyes I see her face screaming no." Spike spoke to an empty shot glass at the airport bar. A random woman sat next to Spike, but his eyes never left his empty glass.  
"What's with the long face sailor? You don't seem like the type to brood." Spike licked his teeth and continued to play with his glass.  
"I'm not brooding and I'm not looking for a shag; so that safely leaves you, sodding off." Spike said between gritted teeth. He was trying so hard to use American phrases and words instead of his British ones but none of them could safely describe how he was feeling. The woman just sat there contemplating his words.  
"You can't have her back now, you know that right?" Her voice seemed sullen and filled with worry. She was already walking away when he turned to face her, but he watched as the red haired woman slipped into the crowd.  
"Damn"  
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Dawn was used to the night terrors that plagued her sister. Almost every night, Buffy would scream and cry. It wasn't the same dreams she had before when she was resurrected, these seemed to last longer. Sometimes it was even impossible to wake Buffy from her dreams, and even dangerous to try. The neighbors became worried about Buffy, inquiring about the screaming that kept them awake. Dawn tried to reassure them but she was unsure of Buffy's health herself.   
The Double Meat Palace kept paying Buffy as if she was there, fearing for their lack of double meat secret. Giles was now handling the finances since Dawn wasn't totally sure what to do.  
Buffy slept for hours, usually very fitful. When she was awake she often stayed silent, just sleeping with her eyes open, at least Xander thought so. There had been no improvement seen in Buffy in the two months Giles had been there.  
Buffy was sleeping lightly on the couch when the doorbell rang. Somewhat awaken Buffy opened the front door. She stared blankly at the stranger, prepared to shut the door in his face. Very quietly she said "Can I help you." There was no life in her voice, she had become the living dead. The man stood looking quizzically at Buffy, almost stunned by her quiet voice.  
He was a nice looking man, Buffy noticed. His glasses were slipping down his nose in the hot August sun, his blue jeans were faded, and his white shirt clung to his body in an interesting way, almost familiar. The man extended his hand in greeting.   
"Hello, My Name is William Stevas. I just moved in across the street... Um...." The man stopped talking as he watched Buffy run from the door like a terrified three year old. He could hear some slight sobbing from another room as Dawn took her place.  
"Sorry. My sister has been having a rough time lately. She's um- mourning a friend that we lost a few months ago." Dawn looked in the direction Buffy had run momentarily.  
"My condolences." William looked down for a moment. "I'm sure they're sorely missed." A moment of silence passed between the pair. "I'm sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. I'm William Stevas and I just moved in across the street." Dawn shook his extended hand. Buffy, who had returned to the door, sneered over Dawn's shoulder. William seemed to ignore the action, focusing on Dawn. "I'm a psychologist if maybe. . . . " he paused for a moment to fix his glasses. "Well, I'd like to talk to your sister sometime." He paused to smile at Buffy. "What is her name again?"  
"Oh I'm such a space case. I'm Dawn, and my sister name is Buffy." Dawn paused for a moment and smacked her head. "Dawn and Buffy Summers." William nodded and smiled at Dawn as she rubbed her head where she had just hit it.  
"Well I still have some unpacking to do at my house. . . So I'll talk to you later I suppose. Good Day Miss Summers." Dawn smiled and waved as William crossed the street to his house. Something was familiar about his demeanor, but Dawn's thoughts were interrupted by Buffy and a bag of chips.   
"Buffy you can't eat that right now...." A day full of Chasing and vacuuming ensued.  
  
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	4. Finding Something Special in Mac and Che...

Spike has nearly fainted when he had seen Buffy at her front door. She wasn't the same person he had left three months ago. Her hair was matted, desperately needing a good brushing, and her over all look was mismatched. Even Spike could tell that the slayer had not been taking care of herself. There was no makeup on her face, despite the late hour in the morning Spike had came. Buffy was hardly high maintenance, but this was low for her.  
Spike had wanted to hug both of the Summer sisters, he had been away for so long, and he longed to comfort them both. He sat down on his couch and began to fall asleep when screams interrupted his slumber. Earth shattering howls came from the Summers house.  
Spike grabbed his glasses, a human necessity, and ran across the street. He slammed on the door, ready to break it down if need be.   
"Miss Summers?? Dawn!?!" He called. The screaming continued as Dawn opened the door.  
"Sorry Mr. Stevas I forgot to mention before. Buffy has nightmares. It takes a while to wake her from them." Dawn tried to hide her eyes, avoiding his gaze.  
"No need to worry Dawn." Spike comforted. "May I? I think I might be able to wake her. . . . ." Dawn nodded allowing Spike to enter into a home he had left so long ago. He pointed to the stairs and Dawn nodded.  
"Big room at the end of the hall." Spike nodded noting that Willow had moved out. Quickly, deftly, Spike scaled the stairs and walked slowly to the door.  
"Buffy. . . ." Spike shook Buffy's form as she continued to scream. Slowly Buffy calmed listening to Spike's voice. "It's okay Buffy, I'm here, just calm down....." Spike continued to talk, Slipping into his British accent he had worked so hard to leave behind him. "Slayer. . . " He gently stroked her cheek as she rested peacefully.  
"I miss you. . . . ." Buffy replied. Spike's eyes welled with tears as she clung to his arm. Her eyes remained closed as Spike continued to caress her cheek lovingly.  
As Buffy fell asleep her hand released her tight grip on Spike's arm. Silently he left her to sleep in peace.  
Spike found Dawn asleep on the stairs. The position she was in looked very uncomfortable. Spike lifted Dawn to take her upstairs. "It's gonna be okay, Ducks. I'll take care of you I promise." Spike gently laid her on her bed. "Good Night, Ducks."  
  
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Giles had noticed a change in Buffy, that had happened literally over night. She seemed to sleep less and talk more. While she still wasn't putting on makeup as she had before her episode, her hair was now styled, and the light soft scent of perfume wafted through the Summers' home. The change was sudden, and almost startling to Giles. The last thing he had expected after two months was a miraculous recovery over night, all hope of that had escaped him the moment he entered the house all those days ago.   
Still Giles was astounded to find a jean and t-shirt clad Buffy answering the door, especially since lately she had taken to wearing her pajamas all day. Giles needed to know what had happened since he had talked to Dawn last, answers to what may have happened could be as simple as a spell, or as complicated as Spike's return. Giles prayed he didn't have to deal with that. Giles gently pulled Dawn aside.  
"I see Buffy is feeling better." Giles remarked to Dawn who fervently nodded.  
"Yeah, it was AMAZING. She had breakfast ready for me when I woke up; REAL breakfast, Giles. Not cereal and milk that's a week over due, it was like waffles and toast, and– Wow. It was like mom used to make for us." Dawn paused and leaned in. "Fresh. Squeezed. OJ. Can you believe it? I mean I was thrilled! I just... the food wasn't even burnt, and Buffy usually burns things you know? Cause I guess when you're the slayer you don't get around to cooking class much, she probably skipped most of Home Economics I'm guessin....." Giles interrupted Dawn's rant about the breakfast.  
"Yes I'm sure it was good." Giles began to clean his glasses nervously, but still understood Dawn's enthusiasm. He was happy to see Buffy return to a normal life, but after living on the hell mouth for six years, Giles had learned to be cautious in his joy. "Dawn, do you have any sort of idea why Buffy has improved so suddenly? It seems so odd to have her be well after so long....." Giles paused to notice the tears welling in Dawn's eyes. "Dawn you misunderstood, I am very happy to have Buffy well again, it's just– so sudden, almost like she's just progressed into a deeper state of depression. . ." Giles became frustrated with the lack of words that could describe the joy he felt, and the caution that he had learned from the millions of good things becoming bad.   
"I know." Dawn sniffled. "It was very sudden. I just wanted to enjoy it before I had to dissect it, just enjoy a little sister time before I had to realize that it wasn't better, just– different." Dawn sniffled for a moment more as a thought came to her. "We have a neighbor she's been talking to, he's a psychologist or something like that. . . . He got her nightmares to stop. He's really great, we've had him over for dinner once," Dawn paused to roll her eyes. "Pizza of course. We couldn't cook much else at that point...... Anyway he comes over and they talk, ever since I've been getting full nights sleep, and so has Buffy, you've seen her, she dresses, she talks, and– doesn't spill snack foods in the foyer." Dawn seemed extremely proud that her sister didn't snack in the foyer any longer, and at the same time embarrassed. She shouldn't have to talk about Buffy that way, Dawn despised having to take care of her sister. Still Dawn was grateful for William, and all he had done for their little family. Giles disturbed Dawn's thoughts.  
"Well erm..... could you try and find. . . . his techniques. . . . talk to Buffy about what she and this neighbor. . . . talk about. What was his name again?" Dawn hesitated as she remembered her neighbor's name.  
"Oh right, William. William Stevas." Giles nodded in agreement with Dawn.  
"Right, I'll expect to hear about it when I call you tonight." Giles had been keeping a close watch on Dawn and Buffy, and Dawn was thankful. Dawn watched Giles exit the house with a frown on her face.  
"Right, easier said than done." Dawn leaned on the banister in the foyer. Dawn had already talked to Buffy about the sessions she and William had daily. Buffy confessed she didn't remember much of what they talked about, often Buffy was hypnotized into relaxing. Dawn didn't find that peculiar, she knew her sister was uptight, she always had been. No one could get her to relax, except. . . . There was no way possible.  
Dawn had talked to William about staying to watch a therapy session. William told Dawn that the sessions were difficult to do with another person in the room because they might disrupt the hypnosis process. Dawn knew it was nothing personal, therapy was a private affair, time for Buffy to relax and have worry-free time. Sometimes that meant Dawn-free time.  
Dawn was unsure of what to do. She couldn't argue with the success of the therapy, Buffy had improved greatly, and was even going out daily on little errands, not to mention her slayer duties that had fallen to the wayside when she became ill.   
Carefully Dawn stirred dinner on the stove to avoid spilling. Macaroni and Cheese was her specialty, and to celebrate Buffy's return to good mental health, or partial good health, Dawn planned to add hot dogs to the mix. Never a good cook, this was all she could make, and not burn. Dawn's domestic skills suffered; she even burnt toast. "I'll ask one more time, after that, what ever Buffy and William do for that hour is their own business." Dawn muttered to the hot dog she was slicing.  
+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+  
  
Author's Notes: Wow! On my word processor I've gotten to eleven pages typed. That's a lot for me, so celebrate good times! Wahoo! Written it's reached thirty-one. Halelujah. I've actually written longer... anyway. This is still all Joss' and not mine. Tell me what you think. I could stand some betas. Go for it. Oh and one more thing. If you're wondering why no one knows William IS Spike, it's the glasses. Just like with Spiderman and Superman, the glasses has thrown even Buffy and Dawn off of Spike's trail. 


End file.
